In a pre-dawn raid on Friday, Israeli forces attacked Palestinian worshippers inside the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
Inside the mosque’s courtyards and prayer rooms, Israeli security officers shot rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades, injuring dozens of worshipers.
So far, 59 people have been evacuated from the mosque and sent to surrounding hospitals, according to the Palestine Red Crescent, including seven people with upper body wounds. As Israeli forces continue to assault worshippers, more victims are being evacuated and treated.
Tear gas and stun grenades were thrown inside the silver-domed Qibli prayer hall, the main structure on the site from which congregational prayers are led, according to footage posted on the internet.
The raid started shortly after dawn prayer, around 5:30 a.m. local time, and is still going on at 7:30 a.m.
From numerous gates, Israeli forces assaulted the mosque’s grounds, mounted the top of the Qibli prayer hall, and opened fire on worshippers, preventing doctors from entering the structure to treat the injured.
Worshippers who live-streamed the attack on Instagram showed individuals stuck inside the mosque and claimed Israeli forces were attempting to evict them. According to eyewitness accounts, the attack damaged the buildings within the complex.
According to Palestinian media sources, doctors, journalists, mosque volunteers, and women were targeted. Muhammad Samreen and Rami al-Khateeb, both journalists, were among those injured.
At least one child was taken into custody.
The raid takes place on the second Friday of Ramadan, Muslims’ holiest month, when tens of thousands of worshippers gather to al-Aqsa to pray.
It also comes ahead of Passover, the Jewish festival that begins today and ends on April 23, during which far-right Israeli settlers have threatened to raid al-Aqsa Mosque and slaughter animals inside its courtyard as a holy sacrifice.
Such organisations also push for the demolition of al-Aqsa Mosque, which they say formerly housed two ancient Jewish temples, to make space for a third temple.
Multiple brutal incursions by Israeli forces within the al-Aqsa Mosque sparked enormous protests across the occupied West Bank and among the Palestinian people in Israel last year, resulting in an 11-day conflict between Israel and armed groups in Gaza.
According to the United Nations, Israel’s large-scale military campaign on the beleaguered Gaza Strip killed 256 Palestinians, including 66 children. 13 persons were murdered in Israel as a result of rockets fired from Gaza.
The Chenab Times News Desk